8 steps to a mobile workforce

Discover the 8 steps it takes to empower your workforce with mobile technology.

The mobile revolution is well underway. The old idea of mobility being something freelancers did as they carried their laptops from coffee shop to coffee shop are over.

Instead, mobility is forming the backbone of most forward thinking businesses. While traditional remote workers such as sales teams have been using smartphones to stay in touch for years, the rise of apps and cloud-based productivity has transformed other types of worker. So from essential medical support workers to field engineers, everyone can benefit from mobile technology.

The one caveat is that you need to ensure your business is mobile ready, which is why we’ve put together this list of 8 steps to a mobile workforce.

1. Hire an enterprise mobility expert

For a transition that’s as seamless as possible, consider hiring enterprise mobility experts. Partnering with an expert service provider means you get the devices, expertise and support you need, all without the hassle of hiring a team in-house while paying high market rates for the skills.

2. Stakeholder communication

Mobility can transform an entire business. But in order to get the idea through the door, you need to have an open communication with all stakeholders. Department heads will have unique insight into the everyday challenges of their teams, challenges which are justifying the move to mobility in the first place. Look to every stakeholder for their unique insight into developing a value-led mobility plan.

3. Identify use cases to identify user needs

Similar to point two, understanding the everyday challenges is key to providing a mobility service that’s truly targeted and impactful. There’s no one size fits all approach to rolling mobility out to enterprises, so reading a few case studies online and then ordering your tech will likely end in disaster. If you have teams who are constantly on the go but need constant, real-time data from the office, like emergency service workers, then you need to define this and make sure your tech matches the use case.

4. The holy trinity of enterprise mobile solutions

Security, innovation and compliance.

Innovation is great. But the inevitable effect it has on your infrastructure and security processes? Not so much. Add in compliance with industry regulations or internal data policies and suddenly your fantastic new ideas, ways of working or workplace initiatives can seem like more bother than they’re worth. None of this needs to stand in the way; explore the potential of innovation in a measured and tactical way, while staying aware of compliance and security concerns.

5. Don't rely on the public cloud

It’s undeniable that cloud has helped businesses of all sizes grow and fix problems with onsite hardware and easy, remote access. It’s been a boon for flexible workers and people in the field but what happens when your compliance requirements or internal data policies don’t allow for cloud access? It’s not a case of giving up the ability to tap into a cloud-like network but more finding an alternative, like independent companies which encrypt and decrypt your data as it’s sent between devices.

6. Consumer friendly enterprise solutions

Whatever the state of your tech, it’s almost guaranteed that your users are accustomed to using the best tech around. Consumer devices are more readily available and most people are carrying a hugely powerful, modern device around with them at all times. For easy adoption of your new solutions, try and map them to what your users are used to. This doesn’t mean give everyone the latest iPhone to play with, but see where there’s a crossover between personal and business, such as the Elite x3, or what devices people are currently using in Bring Your Own Device. Familiarity will make the transition smoother.

7. Indentify your mobile maturity status

How mobile is your business? Is it ready to make entire teams or departments truly mobile? By identifying the current state of your mobile working practices, you’ll be able to find out what’s working, what isn’t and what point you need to get to. When you’re analysing your infrastructure, it’s essential that you factor endpoint security in – every device is potentially a gateway onto your network. Consider the following:

Tech

People

Processes

Data flow

Field apps

Having the right apps means devices become essential and targeted. From SatNav and co-pilot apps to synchronous connections, scheduled jobs and proof of compliance, equipping people with instantly accessible apps makes a real difference to their productivity. An app on a smart device can mean the difference between using three bits of tech and needing to travel back to the office between tasks, instead of having a constant connection and staying in the field.

Help make the transition to mobile workers with the HP Elite x3 – the one device that’s every device. It combines the power and productivity of a PC in the palm of your hand.